Chocolate Tastings on Sunday, August 21st

Many of you who purchased a Living Social coupon have been contacting us, eager to use your coupons before they expire. To accommodate everyone, we have decided to have a full day of tastings on Sunday, August 21st. You may have noticed that the dates for all chocolate tastings can be found on our online store, chocophilia.ca. under tickets, and that you can book your spot through the website.

For this particular day, only the last tasting will be available online, so we ask that you either give us a call at 780-990-0011, or shoot us an e-mail at info@kerstinschocolates.com to reserve your spot. The tastings start at 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm, and are approximately 1 hour in length. For those of you without a coupon, a spot can be purchased for $15. Hope to see you soon!

Ice cream party

We are having a party to celebrate our new ice cream this Wednesday, August 3rd from 3pm to 7pm. Come in to sample a flight of 3 different ice cream concoctions: A scoop of Valrhona chocolate ice cream, a thick and luscious chocolate milk shake and an ice cream float made from stout beer! The flight costs $7.00 and if you bring a friend the second one is only $3.50! There will also be ice cream sandwiches and pints of ice cream for sale. Put your name in the draw for 5 chances to win ice cream for a month.
See you on Wednesday!

Memories of Oaxaca

It’s been about 3 weeks since I got back from Oaxaca and the memory of the city with it’s beautiful streets, colorful zocalo and delicious food is beginning to fade. In order to revivie it, I will make and serve Tajate this week at the shop. If you’re unfamiliar with Tejate, I wrote about it in one of my first blog entries during my visit to Oaxaca. Basically it’s a mixture of corn, cacao, flowers and water. Isn’t that lovely? If you would like to try it, drop by on Thursday, Friday or Saturday for a free sample.

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A trip to a chocolate factory

I’ve been meaning to post all week about my trip to a local cooperative that makes chocolate from the bean to bar, but somehow I’ve just been too busy relaxing. Now, on this rainy day, I’m finally getting a chance to post some pictures and write a brief description of the visit.
Everyone that I spoke to has assured me that there’s no cocoa growing in Oaxaca, that it grows in Chiapas and Tabasco only. But last week I visited a little cocoa processing operation that makes chocolate from trees grown right here in Oaxaca. The place is called Toltepec and you can check out a cool video on U-tube if you google “Chocolate Toltepec”.

Ilona and I hired a taxi to take us there and after a 2 hour ride, we discovered the place was closed! Luckily our taxi driver found one of the members of the collective and asked him to show us around the facility. To be honest, there wasn’t much to look at. Operations seemed to be on hold. When I asked the man giving us the tour how often they made chocolate, he explained that the chocolate is made on demand. I can imagine that without some marketing, there is a huge disconnect between this little chocolate manufacturing facility in the mountains
and the markets of Oaxaca or elsewhere.
Even though there wasn’t much to see in terms of chocolate being made, it was still cool to be surrounded by cocoa trees. We asked to try the fruit fresh off the tree and it was delicious! Quite sweet and a little tangy at the end. That tanginess must be what gives chocolate its acidity. I asked what type of bean they use in their chocolate (which is really good, by the way) and the man said that they use criollo beans. That must be why it’s so good! I bought a bag of the chocolate and a bag of raw cocoa beans to experiment with when I get home. I have yet to try roasting my own beans-now I have the perfect excuse.

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Ice Cream Sandwiches!

We have just debuted our new-and-improved ice cream sandwich for the summer! The ice cream has been made  for us by the lovely folks at Pinocchio – we gave them a special 80% Valrhona chocolate, and the result is a rich, silky, not-too-sweet ice cream.

But the cookies are definitely not an afterthought – soft and chewy with plenty of cocoa, they recall the texture of a classic chocolate wafer; but with a true chocolate flavour and a pleasing thickness, they are tempting to eat all by themselves. Paired with the ice cream, they are elevated to new heights. A roll in some crunchy cocoa nibs, and the result is an intense chocolate treat to enjoy in the warm weather.

For those of you with hardier constitutions (than me), we sell them whole, but we are also selling them in halves. If you can afford to slip into a chocolate coma for a few hours, though, there is something deeply satisfying about holding an ice cream sandwich potentially larger than your fist!

Sale!

We’ve set up a couple of sale tables to make way for new stock – come in soon to get a great deal.Also, any purchase over $100 is discounted 15% this month!

We have beautiful teapots and drinking glasses from Bodum, with a unique design to keep your beverage warm (and stylish):

Along with assorted bars, all at a discounted price:

We’ve also started selling slabs of Felchlin chocolate in milk and dark:

And some books and chocolate molds, for those eager to try their hand at baking/chocolate making in their own kitchen!

Father’s Day Truffles

Here is Rebecca’s truffle collection for Father’s Day this year (Blueberry Ale, not pictured):

Mojito - Dark chocolate with organic mint, lime and spiced rum

Canadian Whisky - Dark milk chocolate with Gibson's Finest whisky

Orange Martini - Dark chocolate with organic orange juice, Cointreau and vodka

Piña Colada - Organic milk chocolate with caramelized pineapple

If you have tasted any of these flavours and would like give us any feedback, please feel free to post comments below!


Father’s Day is approaching.

chocolate bacon bars

Two two types of chocolate bacon bars!

Father’s Day is on June 19th this year. To commemorate this special day, we are bringing back our Bacon Bars for a limited time. Come in from June 9th to June 19th to pick up our:

  • Milk Chocolate Chipotle Chili and Bacon Bar or our
  • Dark Milk Chocolate Salt, Pepper and Bacon Bar.

All of our bacon is locally produced by Al and the team at Irving’s Farm Fresh in Round Hill, AB. We are using certfied organic milk and dark chocolate for these bars.

If bacon chocolate is not your thing, then we’ll also have a wonderful selection of truffles based on dad’s favorite beverages such as:

  • The Orange Martini- Madagascar Dark Chocolate with vodka, cointreau and fresh orange juice
  • The Mojito- Venezuelan Dark Chocolate with spiced rum, mint and fresh lime juice
  • The Virgin Pina Colada- Venezuelan Milk Chocolate, caramelized pineapple and coconut milk
  • The Canadian Whiskey – Dark Milk Chocolate and Gibson’s Whiskey

Truffles + other treats in the case this week

Here’s a look at what we’re featuring in the showcase this week. A peek at the Father’s Day flavours is coming soon!

Morir Soñando - Dominican chocolate with orange and rum, rolled in cacao nibs

Island Dreaming - Organic dark chocolate with a pineapple ganache

Theobroma - Organic dark chocolate with cacao fruit purée

Sweet dates with goat's cheese and chocolate ganache, topped with a walnut

A chocolate bouquet for Mom.

Yes, Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and our Mother’s Day chocolate bouquets are now ready at the shop. The flavors for this year are:

-Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil (in our Dark-Milk Chocolate)
-Milk Chocolate Praline Bark
-Cherry Cocoa Nib (in our Dark Chocolate)

If you haven’t tried our bouquets before, this is the year to get one for Mom!

Mother’s Day Treats

Mother’s Day is coming up quickly and our chocolatier Rebecca has debuted three new truffles to please your chocolate-loving mom, wife, sister or daughter! As you may have heard, Kerstin’s now uses organic and local ingredients in our confections, and the taste really shines through in these gleaming little beauties. A box full of these truffles is sure to make your Mother’s Day even more special. You’ll want to make sure to save some for yourself too…

Raspberry Rose (organic milk chocolate with rose ganache and raspberry compote)

Lemon Mint (organic dark chocolate with lemon-mint ganache)

Sparkling Ginger (organic dark chocolate with a milk chocolate-ginger ganache and a crystallized ginger accent)

We will also have plenty of bark – a dark chocolate ginger, a dark-milk sour cherry and a milk chocolate-hazelnut praline. We hope to see you soon!

You have one week to try and win a year’s supply of chocolate.

This Easter we are going to give one lucky person a free 1-year membership to our new Chocophilia Choc-o-the-Month Club (worth $600!). Everyone who comes down to Kerstin’s Chocolates and makes a purchase at the register will get an entry form to fill out. Each form entered give you one chance at winning! The contest ends on April 23rd, and we will draw and announce the winner on April 25th. [There is no limit to the number of times you can enter, but only one entry per visit please!]

Each web order will also give you one entry, so please order chocolate this week from our web shopping site, Chocophilia.ca, if you can’t come down to our shop.

‘For Easter Bunnies’

Well, it’s that time of year again. I know there’s snow on the ground, but I suggest we all go on like it’s spring. A little chocolate doesn’t hurt the cause…

First of all, we’ve had a shipment of Zotter recently. These Easter bars are quite something, and I can’t resist the art work and title that inspired the name of this post:

Raspberry and Coconut

Advocaat and Chili

And not really Easter-y, but check out this ‘Peanuts and Ketchup’ bar. Perfect to pair with their ‘Bacon Bits’ bar.

As per usual, the shop is full of chocolate eggs in all shapes, sizes and flavours. New this year are Peanut Butter and Jelly eggs and Caramel filled eggs in either milk or dark versions. Rebecca has also hand decorated hollow eggs and filled them with a ‘surprise’ for the lucky recipient. And finally, large eggs made from our Fleur de Sel and Lemon Dream Chocophilia bars are also on the shelf and there are bunnies and other animals hanging around the shop as well.

Fleur de Sel

Rebecca has created some beautiful spring truffle flavours this year, including Grand Marnier with candied violets, Honey-Rosemary and Saskatoon Berry with toasted walnut. We’ll have some beautifully wrapped for your ‘Easter Bunnies’ next weekend.

Grand Marnier and Violet

Honey-Rosemary

Happy Easter!

The longed-after chocolate martini recipe!

Many of you who came to our 3rd anniversary party (which was a roaring success – thank you to those who came and continue to support us!) tasted the chocolate martinis we were pouring that night. Rich and extremely chocolate-y, they are unlike any chocolate-flavoured cocktail you’ve tried. Kerstin first made a chocolate liqueur, and then topped that up with a bit more vodka for good measure. A few Valrhona Pearls to float on top, and voila! The perfect drink for your next party.

Chocolate Liqueur

adapted from Scharffenberger

makes 3 cups

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (we used Valrhona)

1 cup boiling water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup vodka

Combine the boiling water with the cocoa powder in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the cocoa, and set aside.

In a saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir the sugar syrup into the cocoa mixture and add the vodka. Strain the mixture into a container with a lid.

Refrigerate overnight (it will keep for several weeks).

Chocolate Martini

For each drink, pour 2 parts liqueur to 1 part vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, and serve. If desired, float a handful of Valrhona Chocolate Pearls on top.

Enjoy!

Third Year Anniversary Party on Saturday, March 5th.

This Saturday, March 5th, we will be having our 3rd year anniversary party.  Come in between the hours of 5 and 9 to sample some new chocolate creations and help us celebrate with a Chocolate Martini!  Everything in the shop will be 20% off (except for our sale items).

To RSVP for this event, send an e-mail to:

rsvp@kerstinschocolates.com

(If you don’t RSVP, you won’t be on the guest list, so make sure to RSVP. Also, if you are bringing friends with you, let us know how many!)

The Valentine’s 2011 Line-up

This year’s Valentine’s collection is a combination of Kerstin’s favorite bars and items from around the Shop, some amazing packaging and Rebecca Grant’s always inventive truffle flavors. And of course, there will be tastings for those of you who like a little wine with your chocolate.

Gift Boxes

Maybe a little variety is the way to your Valentine’s heart? We’ve created several options to fit the bill.

If the person in mind strikes you as Dark and Mysterious or Hot and Spicy we think one of our aptly named boxes may be the way to go. The Dark and Mysterious combines a tin of our Chocophilia Dark Drinking Chocolate with a Grand Noir 85% bar from Michel Cluizel, a bag of chocolate enrobed cacao beans and a silky red heart filled with two truffles from Rebecca’s Valentine’s selection. Feel free to indulge and thank us later.

The Hot and Spicy brings together chili treats from around the Shop to excite the palette (and warm all you frozen Edmontonians up!). This one includes a tin of our Chocophilia Spiced Drinking Chocolate, a Chocophilia ‘Hot Chocolate’ Bar, a bag of Chili Lime Cashews and two of Rebecca’s chili caramel truffles.

For those looking to go all out, we’ve put together a few other boxes that include Kusmi teas, Melt-a-ways, dark chocolate hearts, sumptuous chocolate reads and soft, smooth Zotter bars. Also be sure to check out our ‘Around the World’ Chocolate Tasting box below. Chocolate Lover’s boxes are still in the Shop as well and we’re always willing to help you customize if you you’re looking for something a little more particular for your Valentine.

Truffles, Bark and Chocophilia

Rebecca has spent the past few weeks coming up with truffle flavors that will win anyone over. Here’s what’s on the shelf: Huckleberry, Raspberry, Chili Caramel, Lavender and Passion Fruit. We also tracked down some incredible heart shaped boxes that hold about 17 confections – just enough to share in front of a warm fireplace.

Back by popular demand are milk and dark chocolate Bark Bouquets in some sweet and savory new flavors: Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Roasted Almond on 49% chocolate, Cinnamon milk chocolate with a dark chocolate mocha swirl and finally, Dark chocolate with raspberries and a raspberry white chocolate drizzle. It goes without saying that these flavors are a treat to eat, but the contrast of colors this year is making for some truly beautiful bouquets.

Roses are Red… that’s really as far as you need to go on Valentine’s Day, isn’t it? We’re re-releasing this white Chocophilia bar flavored with raspberries and saffron for a couple weeks, so be sure to get your fix. And be sure to keep an eye out for a new Chocophilia bar coming soon… Kerstin’s been busy in the kitchen testing out new flavors for another addition to the lineup that’s sure to win Edmonton over.

Chocolate Tastings

As usual we’ll be hosting wine and chocolate tasting evenings this Valentine’s weekend, and although Saturday the 12th is sold out, there are still spots left for Friday the 11th. You can find tickets here.

If you can’t make it to the Shop for a tasting, we’ve put together an ‘Around the World’ Chocolate Tasting box to help you create your own session at home. Flavor profiles from Venezuela, Ecuador, Madagascar and other spots are included in both milk and dark versions, and Kerstin’s tips for tasting chocolate are tucked in along side for an adventurous, flavorful evening at home.

Can’t make it into the Shop? Have no fear. Just head to our online Shop and check out our Valentine’s collection here.

Olive Oil Bon Bon

Olives
Image via Wikipedia

O.K. I’m scaring myself now. I must have licked 1/2 a cup’s worth of olive oil ganache out of the bowl. I’ve been meaning to try this recipe for ages and I’m happy I finally did. It’s SO good! Basically you replace the cream for olive oil to make the ganache so it’s super rich but firmer than a normal ganache. I used my friend’s olive oil that his family makes in California and cut it with regular olive oil. Because it uses so much of his super high end olive oil, it would be an expensive little bon bon. I may put it in the display for special occasions only.

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